New Report Highlights Horrors of Texas Greyhound Racing

We already knew that Greyhounds at racetracks suffer immensely. But today, Greyhound advocate group GREY2K USA released a report that shows just how bad things are for dogs forced to race in Texas.

The report, produced with funding from the ASPCA, showed that at Texas racetracks:

• Greyhounds are forced to live in confined, stacked cages, with large Greyhounds being unable to stand fully erect in their cages.• In 2012, six Greyhounds died at Gulf Greyhound Park from a form of canine influenza, often a recurring epidemic in cramped living situations.• In 2011, a Texas Greyhound trainer failed to obtain veterinary care for an injured Greyhound until two days after the injury occurred.• Greyhounds are fed 4-D meat from diseased animals to reduce costs.

The report also showed that1,507 greyhound injuries were reported at Texas racetracks from January 2008 through December 2011. Fifty-six of these injuries were fatal or required euthanasia, with the most commonly reported injury being broken legs. Other serious injuries reported included torn muscles, puncture wounds, a fractured skull and paralysis.

Frankly, we don’t see why the Texas dog racing industry doesn’t just throw in the towel—Lone Star State residents are way over dog racing. The report shows that gambling on dog racing and dog race attendance are way, way down.

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We need to start doing to these people what they think is OK to do to animals. Maybe they'll get the picture that it is just so WRONG how they treat these animals. Those babies were not put here to be treated this way or to be put through the mistreatment and being abused and unloved for their (people's) amusement. Not that kind of amusement anyway. I wish it wasn't against the law to do this kind of crap to people because I sure would do it just to show them how it feels.

“Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.” Martin Luther King Jr.,

Greyhounds are amazing animals, and every one has their opinion on racing. Do your own research, though. I've spoken with many workers in the racing industry and those folks love these dogs. Nearly all the kennels use standard crates that the dogs fit just fine in. Influenza outbreaks can happen just as easily at a track kennel or at our adoption kennel - it happens unfortunately! One owner (out of how many exactly) had one case - ONE - where they were slow in reacting? And the 4D meat myth has been around for years. Our adoption group has been to race kennels. They are not awful like certain groups like to make them out to be.

I have seen the neglect first hand. Worked in a Greyhound kennel. It's likely the case that anyone soft-peddling/fence-riding and attempting to make argument that this kind of life for a Greyhound is acceptable, by claiming that they are "loved" by their owners/trainers, is profiting in some way from the dog racing industry. When so many dogs are created/engineered to result in a less-than-they-deserve quality of life, (and, btw, no one can make the argument that greyhounds don't get ill, injured and even die as a result of being born/bred to race) then, simple logic -not to mention simple humanity- dictates that it is ethically wrong to place these animals in this position. Besides...'genuine' (i.e. responsible, committed) 'love' would never/could never risk consciously placing the subject of said love in harms way...PERIOD.

I have seen the neglect first hand. Worked in a Greyhound kennel. It's likely the case that anyone soft-peddling/fence-riding and attempting to make argument that this kind of life for a Greyhound is acceptable, by claiming that they are "loved" by their owners/trainers, is profiting in some way from the dog racing industry. When so many dogs are created/engineered to result in a less-than-they-deserve quality of life, (and, btw, no one can make the argument that greyhounds don't get ill, injured, and even die as a result of being born/bred for the entertainment/business of racing); then, simple logic -not to mention simple humanity/compassion- dictates that it is ethically wrong to put these dogs in this position. Besides...genuine (i.e. responsible, committed) 'love' would never/could never risk placing the subject of said love in harms way...PERIOD. Racing equals frivolous, unnecessary risk to an animal in people's charge. It's fair to say that most people don't want to be near the 'Karma' that results from that kind of choice to control/indulge/profit.